ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Evolutionarily Preserved Signature Found In The Primate Brain Posted: 24 Jun 2008 01:00 PM CDT Researchers have determined that there are hundreds of biological differences between the sexes when it comes to gene expression in the cerebral cortex of humans and other primates. These findings indicate that some of these differences arose a very long time ago and have been preserved through evolution. These conserved differences constitute a signature of sex differences in the brain.

New Ways To Regulate Genes, Reduce Heart Damage Identified Posted: 24 Jun 2008 01:00 PM CDT Biophysics researchers are trying to reduce post-heart attack damage by studying the way cells die in the heart -- a process controlled by transcription factors.

Kidney Transplant Patients May Benefit From Going Off Of Certain Immunosuppressive Drugs Posted: 24 Jun 2008 01:00 PM CDT Withdrawing certain immunosuppressive drugs following kidney transplantation prolongs survival and saves money compared with keeping patients on these medications for life, according to a new study.

Ancient Fort Opens New Chapter In First Nations' History Posted: 24 Jun 2008 01:00 PM CDT A fortified village that pre-dates European arrival in Western Canada and is the only one of its kind discovered on the Canadian plains is yielding intriguing evidence of an unknown First Nations group settling on the prairies and is rekindling new ties between the Siksika Nation (Blackfoot) and aboriginal groups in the United States.

Neurological Assessment Of Older Adults: A Crystal Ball To The Future Posted: 24 Jun 2008 01:00 PM CDT Standard neurological exams of older adults are good predictors of future brain health and quality of life and should be part of physician's routine examination of older adults.

Laser Fluorescence Could Find Life On Mars Posted: 24 Jun 2008 10:00 AM CDT A team of scientists from the United States and the United Kingdom has developed a technique using ultraviolet light to identify organic matter in soils that they say could be used to document the existence of life on Mars.

Scientists Fix Bugs In Our Understanding Of Evolution Posted: 24 Jun 2008 10:00 AM CDT What makes a human different from a chimp? Researchers have come one important step closer to answering such evolutionary questions correctly. In the current issue of Science they uncover systematic errors in existing methods that compare genetic sequences of different species to learn about their evolutionary relationships. They present a new computational tool that provides accurate insights into the evolution of DNA and protein sequences.

Subtle Nervous System Abnormalities Appear To Predict Risk Of Death In Older Individuals Posted: 24 Jun 2008 10:00 AM CDT Subtle but clinically detectable neurological abnormalities, such as reduced reflexes and an unstable posture, may be associated with the risk of death and stroke in otherwise healthy older adults, according to a new report.

Tiny Refrigerator Taking Shape To Cool Future Computers Posted: 24 Jun 2008 10:00 AM CDT Researchers are developing a miniature refrigeration system small enough to fit inside laptops and personal computers, a cooling technology that would boost performance while shrinking the size of computers.

Risk Factors For Sudden Death For Adult Muscular Dystrophy Identified Posted: 24 Jun 2008 10:00 AM CDT The largest assessment of people with adult muscular dystrophy has identified risk factors that can lead to sudden death for individuals with the most common form of this disease. Results are published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Benzene-like Electron Delocalization Of Important Molecule Confirmed Posted: 24 Jun 2008 10:00 AM CDT Researchers have successfully synthesized and structurally characterized boron-nitrogen compounds that are isoelectronic and isostructural to the fundamentally important benzene molecule.

Smoking Out The Mediators Of Airway Damage Caused By Pollutants Posted: 24 Jun 2008 10:00 AM CDT A new study of the effects of chemicals found in pollution and cigarette smoke on guinea pig airways has provided insight into how these chemicals are likely to damage airways in individuals with in smoke-related diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic asthma. It is hoped that this information will help in the development of therapeutics to combat the effects of pollutants and perhaps help individuals with smoke-related diseases.

Celestial Clues Hint At Eclipse In Homer's Odyssey Posted: 24 Jun 2008 07:00 AM CDT Among countless other debates about Homer's Odyssey -- not the least of which is whether the entire poem can be attributed to Homer himself -- is whether Odysseus returns home to experience a total solar eclipse. But scientists believe they have found astronomical references in the Odyssey that provide corroborating evidence of this celestial event.

New Paradigm For Cell-specific Gene Delivery Posted: 24 Jun 2008 07:00 AM CDT Researchers have discovered a new way to limit gene transfer and expression to specific tissues in animals. In studies to determine how plasmids enter the nuclei of non-dividing cells, the group previously identified a region of a smooth muscle cell-specific promoter that was able to mediate nuclear targeting of any plasmid carrying this sequence uniquely in cultured smooth muscle cells but in no other cell type.

Warning For Teens: Teeth And Jewelry Don't Mix Posted: 24 Jun 2008 07:00 AM CDT Oral tissue piercings fracture teeth and increase dental complications in early adulthood, according to new research. High rates of fractures due to piercings are not found in other age groups, and cases of severe periodontal damage in teens without oral piercings are similarly rare.

Potential Key To Better Drugs To Fight Toxoplasmosis Parasite Discovered Posted: 24 Jun 2008 07:00 AM CDT Researchers can now help explain how the parasite that causes toxoplasmosis transforms into a cyst form that resists drugs and the body's immune system, yet can emerge from its dormant state to strike when a patient's immune system is weakened. The discovery linking this stress-response mechanism to cyst formation and maintenance not only offers a possible target for new drugs, but it could also lead to a preventative vaccine -- for animals.

Micromagnets Show Promise As Colorful 'Smart Tags' For Magnetic Resonance Imaging Posted: 24 Jun 2008 07:00 AM CDT Customized microscopic magnets that might one day be injected into the body could add color to magnetic resonance imaging, while also potentially enhancing sensitivity and the amount of information provided by images, researchers report. The new micromagnets also could act as "smart tags" identifying particular cells, tissues or physiological conditions, for medical research or diagnostic purposes.

Battle Of The Bulge: Low Leptin Levels Undermine Successful Weight Loss Posted: 24 Jun 2008 07:00 AM CDT Obesity puts individuals at increased risk of many diseases, including type 2 diabetes. As 75 to 95 percent of previously obese individuals regain their lost weight, many researchers are interested in developing treatments to help individuals maintain their weight loss. A new study, has provided insight into the critical interaction between the hormone leptin and the brain's response to weight loss and led to the suggestion that leptin therapy after weight loss might improve weight maintenance.

Natural 'Invisible' Gold Found In Nanoparticles Posted: 24 Jun 2008 04:00 AM CDT Nanoparticles of gold too small to be seen with the naked eye have been created in laboratories, but up until now, have never been seen in nature.

Potential New Way To Block Inflammation In Autoimmune Disease Discovered Posted: 24 Jun 2008 04:00 AM CDT Researchers have identified a promising new target for autoimmune disease treatment -- a cell-surface receptor called DR3. Their research in mice, published in Immunity, suggests that blocking this receptor could slow or stop the damaging inflammation characteristic of autoimmune diseases, potentially without leaving the body vulnerable to serious infections, as many current therapies do.

Lyme Disease Spirochetes Tracked in 3D Posted: 24 Jun 2008 04:00 AM CDT Microbiologists have demonstrated the first direct visualization of the dissemination of Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease. This real-time, three-dimensional look at spirochete dissemination in a living mammalian host.

Improving Understanding Of Cell Behavior In Breast Cancer Posted: 24 Jun 2008 04:00 AM CDT The invasion and spread of cancer cells to other parts of the body, known as metastasis, is a principal cause of death in patients diagnosed with breast cancer.

New Patented Prophylactic Mesh For The Repair Of Defects In The Abdominal Wall Posted: 24 Jun 2008 04:00 AM CDT Scientists have designed a prosthesis made of silicon and polypropylene shaped like an "upside down T" that substantially reduces cases of incisional hernias. A hernia is produced when the content of the abdominal cavity protrudes through a weakened natural orifice of the abdominal wall such as the inguinal canal, the umbilical area, the epigastrium or a previous incision in the abdomen such as from a surgical operation.

Opioids And Cannabinoids Influence Mobility Of Spermatozoids Posted: 24 Jun 2008 04:00 AM CDT There are opioid and cannabinoid receptors in human sperm and these influence the mobility of spermatozoid. This research opens the door to more effective treatment of fertility problems.

Supercomputer Explores Biochemical Landscape To Find Memory Switches Posted: 24 Jun 2008 01:00 AM CDT Cells use switches for determining what kind of cell to become -- skin or blood, for instance, in responding to stress, and in communication with other cells. Researchers have now cataloged even more templates of possible switches within a living cell than we use throughout our day.

Symptom Screening Plus A Simple Blood Test Improves Early Detection Of Ovarian Cancer Posted: 24 Jun 2008 01:00 AM CDT Women's reports of persistent, recent-onset symptoms linked to ovarian cancer -- abdominal or pelvic pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly and abdominal bloating -- when combined with the CA125 blood test may improve the early detection of ovarian cancer by 20 percent.

Reducing Impact Of Climate Change On Estuaries, Forests, Wetlands And Coral Reefs Posted: 24 Jun 2008 01:00 AM CDT The US Environmental Protection Agency has released a report that can help reduce the potential impact of climate change on estuaries, forests, wetlands, coral reefs and other sensitive ecosystems. The report identifies strategies to protect the environment as these changes occur.

Known Genetic Risk For Alzheimer's In Whites Also Places Blacks At Risk Posted: 24 Jun 2008 01:00 AM CDT A commonly recognized gene that places one at risk for Alzheimer's disease does not discriminate between blacks and whites, according to new research.

New Role For Factor Critical To Transcription Identified Posted: 24 Jun 2008 01:00 AM CDT Scientists have identified a new role for the elongation factor ELL in gene transcription by RNA polymerase II -- the enzyme that synthesizes messenger RNA to carry genetic information from DNA to the protein-synthesizing machinery of the cell.

The Way Mothers Interact With Babies In First Year Predicts Child Behavior To Age 13 Posted: 24 Jun 2008 01:00 AM CDT The way mothers interact with their babies in the first year of life is strongly related to how children behave later on. Both a mother's parenting style and an infant's temperament reliably predict challenging behavior in later childhood.

Unlocking Genome Of World's Worst Insect Pest Posted: 23 Jun 2008 10:00 PM CDT Scientists are on the brink of a discovery which will facilitate the development of new, safe, more sustainable ways of controlling the world's worst agricultural insect pest -- the moth, Helicoverpa armigera.

Neuroscientists Show Insulin Receptor Signaling Regulates Structure Of Brain Circuits Posted: 23 Jun 2008 10:00 PM CDT Neuroscientists have demonstrated for the first time in living animals that insulin receptors in the brain can initiate signaling that regulates both the structure and function of neural circuits. The finding suggests a significant role for this class of receptors and perhaps for insulin, not only in brain development, but also in cognition and in pathological processes in which cognition is impaired, as in Alzheimer's disease, for example.

Infant Play Drives Chimpanzee Respiratory Disease Cycles Posted: 23 Jun 2008 10:00 PM CDT The signature boom-bust cycling of childhood respiratory diseases was long attributed to environmental cycling. However, the effect of school holidays on rates of social contact amongst children is increasingly seen as another major driver. New research on chimpanzees suggests that this effect of social connectivity on disease cycling may long predate attendance of children at schools, with chimpanzee infant mortality rates cycling in phase with rates of social play amongst infants.

Effective Treatment For Sickle Cell Underused By Doctors Posted: 23 Jun 2008 10:00 PM CDT Uncertainties about proper use and possible long-term effects of hydroxyurea in the treatment of sickle cell anemia may be wrongly influencing doctors to avoid prescribing it to those in serious need, according to results of a literature review.

New Research On Mutation In Yeast Can Enhance Understanding Of Human Diseases Posted: 23 Jun 2008 10:00 PM CDT Yeast, a model organism heavily relied upon for studying basic biological processes as they relate to human health, mutates in a distinctly different pattern than other model organisms, a finding that brings researchers closer to understanding the role of evolutionary genetics in human diseases and cancer.

Low Socioeconomic Status Increases Risk Of Death After Cancer Diagnosis Posted: 23 Jun 2008 10:00 PM CDT Cancer patients with low socioeconomic status (SES) have more advanced cancers at diagnosis, receive less aggressive treatment, and have a higher risk of dying in the five years following cancer diagnosis, according to a new study. The study supports the need to focus on SES as an underlying factor in cancer disparities by race and ethnicity.

Radio Telescopes Reveal Unseen Galactic Cannibalism Posted: 23 Jun 2008 07:00 PM CDT Using radio telescopes, astronomers have solved a mystery of how the gigantic black holes at the cores of active galaxies known as Seyfert galaxies get their "food." While visible-light images showed little evidence that these galaxies had any interaction with their neighbors, the radio-telescope images revealed that the galaxies are snacking on their neighbors, and the "meal" ultimately reaches the black hole.

Mystery Behind Brain Imaging Unlocked Posted: 23 Jun 2008 07:00 PM CDT In work that solves a long-standing mystery in neuroscience, researchers at MIT's Picower Institute for Learning and Memory have shown for the first time that star-shaped brain cells called astrocytes -- previously considered bit players by most neuroscientists -- make noninvasive brain scans possible.

High Hormone Levels In Seabird Chicks Prepare Them To Kill Their Siblings Posted: 23 Jun 2008 07:00 PM CDT The Nazca booby, a Galápagos Island seabird, emerges from its shell ready to kill its brother or sister. Biologists have linked the murderous behavior to high levels of testosterone and other male hormones found in the hatchlings.

Protecting Yourself From Nasty Superbugs: Suggestions From Mayo Clinic Posted: 23 Jun 2008 07:00 PM CDT Superbugs -- bacteria that are resistant to many commonly used antibiotics -- can seem scary. Antibiotic resistance means illnesses last longer, and the risk of complications and death increases. Many factors have contributed to the emergence of superbugs, including overuse and misuse of antibiotics.

12 Million Molecules Share 143 Basic Shapes, Researchers Find Posted: 23 Jun 2008 07:00 PM CDT Chemists in Ohio have discovered that half of all of the known chemical compounds in the world have an amazing similarity in sharing only 143 basic molecular shapes.

Election Forecasters Preparing For Historic Election Posted: 23 Jun 2008 07:00 PM CDT Anticipating what is likely to be one of the most interesting elections in modern history, Researchers have assembled the insights of prominent election forecasters in a special issue of the International Journal of Forecasting.

Common Cooking Spice Found In Curry Shows Promise In Combating Diabetes And Obesity Posted: 23 Jun 2008 04:00 PM CDT Turmeric, an Asian spice found in many curries, has a long history of use in reducing inflammation, healing wounds and relieving pain, but can it prevent diabetes? Since inflammation plays a big role in many diseases and is believed to be involved in onset of both obesity and Type 2 diabetes, endocrinologists were curious what effect the herb might have on diabetic mice. The spice has now been shown to reverse inflammation associated with obesity and improve blood sugar control.

Stem Cells Correct Defect In Child’s Fatal Skin Disease Posted: 23 Jun 2008 04:00 PM CDT Researchers and clinicians have paved the way toward a cure for a young boy's genetic and fatal skin disease, recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB), by using a cord blood and bone marrow transplant.

Marine Snail Study Leads To New Insights Into Long-term Memory Posted: 23 Jun 2008 04:00 PM CDT Cellular neuroscientists are providing new insights into the mechanisms that underlie long-term memory -- research with the potential to treat long-term memory disorders.

Inherited Melanoma Risk: What You Do Know Does Help You Posted: 23 Jun 2008 04:00 PM CDT When people know the results of genetic tests confirming they have inherited an increased risk of developing melanoma, they follow skin cancer screening recommendations more proactively -- much like those who have already been diagnosed with the potentially deadly disease, according to a study in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

Tartalo The Robot Is Knocking On Your Door Posted: 23 Jun 2008 04:00 PM CDT A research team is devising a robot that can get around by itself. Tartalo is able to identify different places and ask permission before going through a doorway.

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